Fur Magic Boxed Set: Talisman, Sage, Fawn, Lola: Paranormal Romantic Comedy (27 page)

Chapter 16

The whole gang was gathered in Penelope’s front garden, without Casper the hyperactive goat, of course. I think he was in a business meeting with the owner of YouTube to see if he could parkour his way into America’s heart via a Facebook viral video. I have no idea what is wrong with the citizens of your fine country and their latest goat obsession.

I purred and licked my paw, then washed behind my ears. Usually, I let Lola do this for me, but I figured I’d become too complacent in my old age if I didn’t at least try to clean myself once in a while.

You’re getting chubby, Talisman. You’d better be careful. Some tom cat will come along and steal that lovely white feline from your side.
Sage was perched on the roof of the porch, sunning himself.

I’ll never leave, Tali, you feathered fiend. Even if he’s as big as a house
. Lola licked her paws at my side and shot Sage a sly look.

Lola had been hanging around me so long, she’d picked up on my arsenal of owl insults. I really dig that girl. Sage had probably picked up a pound of muscle from all his flying over the past month. Oh yes, he’d made good on that promise to follow Damien Chokecherry around. The only time the hunter ever got a break, was at night when Sage decided he wanted to hunt mice instead.

Or when he took a cat nap.

Bird nap.

Quiet down, feathers, I’m trying to internalize.

Penelope stood close by, glowing in the morning light, with Dr. Luke’s arms around her waist. It was a Sunday and the clinic was closed for the day. Dr. Luke had been surprisingly accepting of Penelope’s powers and her inheritance, but then again, what choice did he have? Nothing got in the way of love’s timeless bond.

She was his soul mate. They were pretty much bound together now.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Penelope said, with a satisfied sigh.

“Not as beautiful as you,” Dr. Luke replied.

She giggled and swatted at him, then fell into another of his kisses. Lola and I had taken to sleeping on the couch downstairs, thanks to these two lovebirds. If my eyes witnessed anything between the two of them, I might turn to stone.

The front gate to Penelope’s property creaked open and Amelia and Eldris appeared, walking hand-in-hand. Amelia waved merrily. The scars from her encounter with Bianca had faded at last, and whatever mental ones there’d been from the abduction had been erased by Eldris’ caring touch.

Love is truly in the air.
I winked at Lola. She purred back.

Yes, it makes you want to gag, doesn’t it?
Sage was still the same old, bitter owl from the beginning. With a few quirks added.

“Hey! I hoped you’d come over this morning,” Penelope said, grinning at her bestie. “What’s that?”

Eldris plucked the newspaper from Amelia’s hand and held it out, proudly. “I present to you, Miss Amelia Foley’s thorough exposé on Damien Chokecherry, the poacher.”

Sage perked up, ruffled his feathers.
Now, there’s a bit of paper I’d gladly read instead of shit on.

Dr. Luke took it from Eldris and studied the paper, carefully. “This is fantastic.”

Penelope beamed at his side, reading along with him and resting against his chest.

“Yeah, it wasn’t hard to find evidence at all. I’ve spoken to the local environmental society and they’re taking Damien’s case even higher. He’ll never be able to hunt in Shadowcreek or anywhere else, ever again. Not by gun or arrow or even his bare hands. He’s done.” Amelia clapped her hands.

I would’ve kissed her if she wasn’t human and I wasn’t fully committed to the white beauty at my side. Well, maybe a leg twirl.

Without Damien Chokecherry haunting the forest and scaring the locals, all the animals – Fawn and her father, Stag, included – would be able to live in peace. No more fear or dark rituals.

“I’ve got to say, I’m glad Damien got what he deserved,” Dr. Luke said, nodding and pursing his lips. “I never trusted that guy. Not for a hot minute.”

“And you had good reason not to,” Amelia replied, then shut her mouth tight. Eldris definitely wasn’t in on Penelope’s secret, and it was a good thing too. He’d probably faint if he found out.

Fainting, hmm, that reminds me. It’s time for me to get back on the hunt.
Sage took off, hooted and swept off over the town.
Oh, Damieeeeen. Leave Arizona and you might yet draw another clear breath.

I couldn’t summon a whit of sympathy for Mr. Chokecherry.

There was another creak and a bang, and the group turned to the entrance again.

Elias Stout came marching up the path, frowning heavily. He looked from Penelope to Amelia, and then to Eldris. His upper lip curled the minute he saw the ‘other man.’

Please, God. No nerd fisticuffs today of all days. It was like Steve Urkel meets the Big Bang Theory.

“Elias,” Penelope said, voice strain-free, though Dr. Luke had pulled her closer to his side. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“I’ve, uh, I’ve come to say my goodbyes, Penelope.” Elias tucked his hands behind his back and elevated himself onto tiptoes for a second, then dropped back down. “And to, uh, look, I, uh –”

“Is there an end to any of these sentences?” Eldris asked.

Elias straightened and sneered. “I wanted to say I’m sorry for accusing you of things. I sincerely apologize.”

Elias Stout had turned an about face after the destruction of his one good camera. Finding out that Amelia and Eldris were dating had been an even bigger blow. The grapevine of animals and pets told me that he’d been planning a hasty escape to avoid embarrassment for quite some time.

Penelope stared at him in utter shock. None of us had expected an apology from Mr. Stout.

“I, well, thank you, Elias. That’s quite all right,” she said, at last.

Amelia looked on him with pity, and he didn’t miss that look or its meaning.

“Right,” he said. He turned and hurried back down the path, still as greasy and weird as ever.

Two attorneys were walking out of a bar and a beautiful young lady walks by. One attorney turns to his associate and comments "Boy, I would like to screw her! The other attorney thinks for a second, scratches his head and asks, "Out of what?"

Nicely done, doll!

Bada bing!

The group watched him leave in silence.

“Weird,” Amelia said, at last.

“That about sums it up,” Eldris replied.

“Come on, guys, let’s get inside and have some of that coffee and cake.” Penelope turned, then looked down at me. “And some double cream for the cats.”

The world was right again.

Epilogue

How do you know she’ll be there?
My feet padded through the foliage as we ran through the forest.

It was tough keeping up with Dagda, still spry in her old age. “Where else would she be, feline? She’s my age, if not older. It’s not like she’ll go wandering around town any time soon.”

Sage flew low above our heads, taking a break from his Damien hunting for the night.
She wasn’t there the last time.

“Oh, she was probably hiding out in another dimension, sucking on Penelope’s magic juices to keep her there. But now,” Dagda said, then paused to cackle and rub her hands together, even as we hurried toward the mansion, “now, she’s got none of Penelope’s magic to keep her strong.”

And we’re just going to go in there, claws bared?

I quickened my stride, the initial nerves turning to a bubbling excitement low in my belly, which had nothing to do with the double cream from earlier.

“Our claws don’t need to be out, and neither do our broomsticks,” Dagda replied. “The Chokecherry family has always been notoriously weak in their magic. I believe it’s got something to do with inbreeding.”

That’s disgusting
. Sage swooped down in affront. I couldn’t help but agree.

“Well, it’s just a theory, anyway. The fact remains they’ve always been weak and Lucinda’s included in that. That’s why she needed the curse in the first place. Gathering power from each successive DeLacroix and down to dearest Penelope.”

And now that Penelope’s broken the curse…
I flashed my kitty grin in the dark.

“That’s right. Without the magic, she’s nothing but a shell. A weak imitation of an effective witch.”

We burst from the forest, sending leaves flying in every direction. The mansion loomed overhead, darkened except for a window on the first floor. And the light there wasn’t of the flickering quality this time. No, this looked like straight electricity. Maybe a lamp.

The magic is gone.

Thank you, Captain Birdvious.

I’d rather be Captain Birdvious, than Private Licker.
My friend’s beak glinted in the moonlight.

The sky was inky black and highlighted by millions of sparkling stars. The moon was gibbous and hung low.

Dagda led the way through the front garden of the mansion, over the crippled weeds and the overgrown flowerbeds. The house would’ve been lovely had it been properly cared for. Another crime the Chokecherry family was responsible for. Neglect.

We strode up the front stairs, Dagda regaining her old lady hobble now that she’d slowed down, and stopped in front of the grand oak front door. The old witch didn’t bother using the ornate brass gargoyle knocker; she simply pointed and it banged open before us.

That’s a neat trick. I wish I could do that at home with the pantry door.

You’re already packing on the poundage, Idle Paws.

Bite me. I thought you were going to torment Damien.

Dagda Cerridwyn looked down at me, then tapped the side of her nose. “You animals have no idea.”

We followed her into the darkened hall and walked toward the source of light. Well, we walked, Sage flapped around above us.

If you had yellow forks for feet, you’d prefer flying too.

Shush you, we’ve got business to attend to.
I laughed on the inside, hurrying to catch up with Dagda.

We entered a rundown kitchen. The old wooden table stretched across it, covered in a thin layer of dust, except where someone had set down a portable electric lamp. A bundle of rags had been dumped on one of the chairs beside the table, and a window on the other side of the room was cracked.

A cold wind whistled through, chasing the steam rising from a cup of black tea on one of the counters.

“Dagda,” the bundle of rags said.

“And hello to you, Lucinda. It’s been a while. The last time we spoke, you were on the run to another dimension. I’ve still got the scar,” Dagda said, then pushed the tea further from the rag bundle.

That’s not a bundle of rags. That’s her! That’s the witch.
Sage landed on the back of another chair and tilted forward to watch.

I stayed where I was. No way was I about to get my rear end dusty on that nasty table.

“You bring your runty pets with you to help you finish the job?” The rags finally unfurled, revealing the wrinkled face within. Lucinda looked like someone’s old Aunt Margaret. She had liver spots. She had tufty, white hair. But those eyes, those grey eyes, were steely with hatred and intelligence.

“Finish the job?” Dagda threw her head back and cackled. “Oh my, I’m not going to finish anything.”

Lucinda Chokecherry sniffed and rubbed at the end of her nose with the back of her fist. “Then what do you want?”

“I’ve come to escort you to your trial.”

“What?”

“The council has already tried and sentenced your evil daughter, Bianca Chokecherry. She’s been cut off from magic. I can only hope you will meet the same fate.” Dagda scratched her wart. “Then again, it will probably be worse than that for you. I know we haven’t burned anyone at the stake since Salem, but …”

“I won’t go anywhere with you,” Lucinda snapped, drawing herself up in semblance of straightness.

“You don’t have a choice,” Dagda said. She snapped her fingers and a section of rope appeared out of thin air. And none of that twine hemp crap. This was the real deal. The rope wrapped around Lucinda and tied her up tight.

Another click from Cerridwyn’s fingers and Lucinda rose into the air and hovered. A floating lump of righteous indignation.

“What are you doing?!”

“Lucinda Chokecherry, you have been accused of the murder of Arwen Silverchime by aiding and abetting Sanguine Chokecherry. Your ownership of her home has been revoked, and you are called before the coven elders to meet your fate.” Dagda walked for the door and we hurried to follow.

Lucinda floated along behind us, howling curses.

We strode down the front stairs and out into the garden. Lucinda passed above the grass, and the garden responded, growing and flourishing. The weeds retracted, the house seemed to come to life with her passing spirit.

Well, I’ll be damned.
Sage flapped into the air above Lucinda.
Looks like the poison has finally lifted.

Dagda waved to us and hurried off down the road, Lucinda bobbing along behind her, shrieking and bemoaning her fate.

Can’t you stuff a rag in her mouth, Dagda, witch extraordinaire?

You know, I don’t think she needed us here for this. Thanks Dagda. You’re the bomb. Were I older and human … well, you get the idea.

“Right back at you, my fine feathered friend.”

I watched Dagda’s retreat, a strange sense of nostalgia seating itself in my chest
. This was her way of saying goodbye, I guess. It would have been nice to give a final goodbye to Papa, too but we’ll have to be satisfied that we’ll meet him again one day.

A final huzzah.

The cream on top of the cake.

The mice between the talons.

The kibble on the plate.

This could go on all night, feline.
Sage soared in circles above me, even as the new grass in the Silverchime garden tickled my paw pads.

You’re right. Let’s head home to Pen and her handsome new husband, Dr. Luke.

And that was exactly what we did.

***

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Fur Magic Box Set: Books 1 – 4  by Colleen Charles ©2016 All Rights Reserved

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Colleen Charles loves reading and writing stories that entertain and sweep the reader away from their everyday life.